Explosive cannonballs?

[SpriteZero]

"BALTIMORE -- The State Fire Marshal's office said Wednesday that dredging crews have uncovered what appear to be three Civil War-era cannonballs in a Baltimore waterway.

Deputy Fire Marshal Joseph Zurolo said an eight-inch cannonball discovered this week was one of three found recently.

He said employees for Weeks Marine are dredging in Baltimore's harbor for future construction work. They notified authorities Tuesday after finding a cannonball on a barge.

The cannonballs are being tested to determine if they're still explosive. Zurolo said two of the three are in good condition.

He told the Baltimore Sun that the third "had more weathering." "


I thought a cannon ball went into the cannon on top of the explosive charge packet and the force of that packet exploding forced the cannon ball out of tha cannon towards its target.

How can a cannon ball still be "explosive"?

 

[hvp05]

How can a cannon ball still be "explosive"?

I don't know...



... but how is this about "Life in Southern Maryland"?

 

[The Oyster Guy]

How can a cannon ball still be "explosive"?

Not all "cannon ball" shells were solid: some were hollow-cast and filled with an explosive charge that would detonate after a time-delay fuse (not the classical cartoon "wick" fuse, but a flush, mechanical insert ignited by the muzzle blast that would subsequently burn for a particular number of seconds before reaching the charge).

 

[Darcy]

 

[SpriteZero]

I don't know...

... but how is this about "Life in Southern Maryland"?

Ummm..many Civil War events took place here...BIG Civil War momument in St. Marys County....Thought someone would be a Civil War buff and could answer this....

 

[SpriteZero]

Not all "cannon ball" shells were solid: some were hollow-cast and filled with an explosive charge that would detonate after a time-delay fuse (not the classical cartoon "wick" fuse, but a flush, mechanical insert ignited by the muzzle blast that would subsequently burn for a particular number of seconds before reaching the charge).

See someone did know!!!

You a Civil War buff???

No matter...Thank you ver much!!

 

[dustin]

See someone did know!!!

You a Civil War buff???

No matter...Thank you ver much!!

if you had watched "Sahara" you would know this...

 

[The Oyster Guy]

Even though the article said "Civil War era cannonballs", IMO there's an equal likelihood the ordinance dates to the War of 1812 and the Battle of Baltimore (Fort McHenry, Star Spangled Banner etc). And yes, explosive cannon balls, and even primitive rockets, were used at that battle.

 

[Novus Collectus]

Not all "cannon ball" shells were solid: some were hollow-cast and filled with an explosive charge that would detonate after a time-delay fuse (not the classical cartoon "wick" fuse, but a flush, mechanical insert ignited by the muzzle blast that would subsequently burn for a particular number of seconds before reaching the charge).

That was the Union fuse. The Confederates had to use an older fuse technology.
The union fuse had a dial that set the where the powder train was to start burning upon firing and therefore the delay was controllable.
The Confederates had to use a powder train "plug" and they set the delay by cutting the plug to the length they needed for it.